Android and iOS may have combined for 92.3% of all smartphone shipments during the first quarter of 2013, but iOS is clearly the weak member of that dominant team. Android represented a staggering 75% of this smartphone shipment duopoly. iOS, on the other hand, claimed just 17%.

"Underpinning the worldwide smartphone market is the constantly shifting operating system landscape," explains Ramon Llamas, research manager with IDC's Mobile Phone team. "Android and iOS accounted for more than the lion's share of smartphones in the first quarter, but a closer examination of the other platforms reveals turnaround and demand for alternatives. Windows Phone has benefited from Nokia's participation, and BlackBerry's new BB10 devices have already hit a million units shipped in its first quarter of availability."

The real story in IDC's report today, however, has little to do with Android or iOS. In fact, the attention is shifting to Microsoft as the Windows Phone passed BlackBerry in Q1 smartphone shipments. "Windows Phone claiming the third spot is a first and helps validate the direction taken by Microsoft and key partner Nokia," says IDC analyst Kevin Restivo. "Given the relatively low volume generated, the Windows Phone camp will need to show further gains to solidify its status as an alternative to Android or iOS."

Most people who plan on buying a iPhone within the next few months are just waiting for the next one? I swear I see this same story every time a new iPhone is going to be released within the next few months...

Most people who plan on buying a iPhone within the next few months are just waiting for the next one? I swear I see this same story every time a new iPhone is going to be released within the next few months...

+1 and last week there were articles talking about how the iOS market share had grown.

Since the release of the first iPhone and subsequent release of a purported iPhone killer, this story has popped up. One week the iPhone is breaking records for still selling more 4S models than the new HTC One or Blackerry is selling combined. Now all of a sudden their demise is imminent. WTF??? Please find something relevant to write about.

Umm..last I checked its your choice to read or not to read. Simply scroll past articles that are of no interest to you. I know some of these stories get old but they are still relevant. I find the stories of Apple products more relevant than the actual Android hardware itself :]

I am so tired of seeing these articles comparing iOS to Android in terms of units sold. Android is OPEN SOURCE, and is running on 4,000 different devices, while iOS is only running on 20 (including Apple TV), and there are only 7 unique iOS devices that are currently being sold.

This is like trying to compare how many pencils are being sold vs how many BIC (and specifically BIC) mechanical pencils are being sold. It says absolutely nothing about neither the market nor how much money is being made by the companies.

The more accurate question is how many Nexus phones/tablets are being sold as compared to iPhones and iPads?

This is like comparing how many people are having free (open source) sex vs paying for sex. What the hell?

I am so tired of seeing these articles comparing iOS to Android in terms of units sold. Android is OPEN SOURCE, and is running on 4,000 different devices, while iOS is only running on 20 (including Apple TV), and there are only 7 unique iOS devices that are currently being sold.

This is like trying to compare how many pencils are being sold vs how many BIC (and specifically BIC) mechanical pencils are being sold. It says absolutely nothing about neither the market nor how much money is being made by the companies.

The more accurate question is how many Nexus phones/tablets are being sold as compared to iPhones and iPads?

This is like comparing how many people are having free (open source) sex vs paying for sex. What the hell?

+1 I have been saying this all along but the news media/writers don't seem to get it. I had a friend argue with me that Samsung was killing Apple in sales. Samsung has 60% of the android market which is 51% of the smart phone market. iOS makes up 48% of the smart phone market and Apple is 100% of that. Apple is by no means in any trouble what so ever.

Umm..last I checked its your choice to read or not to read. Simply scroll past articles that are of no interest to you. I know some of these stories get old but they are still relevant. I find the stories of Apple products more relevant than the actual Android hardware itself :]

Don't really know the relevance of your post but whatever. If you find a story that has literally been reprinted a minimum of 30 times in some shape form or fashion interesting then more power to you.

Everywhere I go I see people who used to have Apple devices and have now moved over to Android to experience something different

Count me in on that. Devoted iPhone user for 4 years (2 on iP3G and 2 on iP4). My wife, who was using an iPhone for 2 years herself has switched as well. Reason? Bigger screen and easy customization. I got myself a Nexus 4 (on release day) and I got the wife a Note 2 about a month ago. All she ever does now is complain why I didn't get it for her sooner. Love the notification LED on both phones. Jelly Bean is the way Android should have been all along. Smooth, fast, and easy to use.

I have to say though, after using the Nexus and Note 2, holding an iPhone feels like when I got the iPhone 3G years ago and then holding my Motorola ROKR E6. The E6 felt so tiny and "low tech." Even my friend's iP5 felt low tech. It's pretty much the same design as the iP4 3 years ago and same iOS design since the beginning!

One thing I do give to Apple is that their stuff have great resale value. Sold both my iP4 for $300 a piece!

This is like trying to compare how many pencils are being sold vs how many BIC (and specifically BIC) mechanical pencils are being sold. It says absolutely nothing about neither the market nor how much money is being made by the companies.

People always come up with the worst analogies when comparing iOS to Android. You're saying Apple is BIC but there are plenty of other mechanical pencil brands to choose from. There aren't any different iOS phones or tablets to choose from.

Several different manufacturers split sales of Android devices. Apple gets 100% of iOS sales. I don't get why that's so hard for people to understand. It's not a fair comparison. The only thing that matters is which platform(s) developers are creating apps for. As long as they're still making apps for iOS, Apple is fine. But if and when they start developing for Android over iOS, that's when Apple is in trouble.

+1 I have been saying this all along but the news media/writers don't seem to get it. I had a friend argue with me that Samsung was killing Apple in sales. Samsung has 60% of the android market which is 51% of the smart phone market. iOS makes up 48% of the smart phone market and Apple is 100% of that. Apple is by no means in any trouble what so ever.

apple not in trouble? a shrinking market share plus stock prices loosing nearly half their value within a 6 month period is pretty serious if you ask me.

Originally Posted by rickuk

Everywhere I go I see people who used to have Apple devices and have now moved over to Android to experience something different

+1 I used to see mostly iPhones (NYC) now I see more S3's I even see more Note IIs than iPhone 5's.

+1 I used to see mostly iPhones (NYC) now I see more S3's I even see more Note IIs than iPhone 5's.

Same here in Hong Kong and China. People used to think an iPhone is the status symbol device when the iPhone 4 was out. Not any more. The iPhone was good back in its days but it's been slipping little by little every single day since the iP4. It's lacking major features other phones have been using for years now. Anything Apple can come up with (that's not considered a gimmick) will pretty much seems like they are taking a step in Android's shoes. Larger screen? Been done. 1080p? Been done. Stereo speakers? Been done. I got sick and tired of waiting for all these things so that's why I switched. I saw ZERO reasons why I should upgrade my iP4 to a 5 when all I really get was an extra row of icons.

Originally Posted by Channan

But if and when they start developing for Android over iOS, that's when Apple is in trouble.

This was one of the things I was worried about when I made the switch. How will I ever live without my apps? But wouldn't you know it, all the apps I needed was already in the Play Store. Games, utilities, readers, whatever. Heck, I even found better replacements for some apps that was only on iOS! And with the bigger screen real estate, playing games and reading web pages is just a joy.

So what are the Hondas and what are the Ferraris? At the time of release, GS3/Note 2 costs the same as an iPhone 5. I hope you're not implying the iPhone is the Ferrari because it's certainly far from being a "top tier" phone.

So what are the Hondas and what are the Ferraris? At the time of release, GS3/Note 2 costs the same as an iPhone 5. I hope you're not implying the iPhone is the Ferrari because it's certainly far from being a "top tier" phone.